Core curriculum guidelines for a required clinical neurology experience

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Neurology
• Curriculum Development

Background:

• Physicians across specialties frequently manage patients with neurologic conditions.
• Neurologic education for non-neurologists is often limited and variable.
• Existing medical school curricula need updating to meet evolving educational standards.

Purpose of the Study:

• To update the American Academy of Neurology (AAN)-endorsed core curriculum for neurology education.
• To align the curriculum with contemporary medical school structures and learning modalities.
• To provide a resource for curriculum leaders to meet accreditation standards.

Main Methods:

• A workgroup revised the prior AAN core curriculum.
• The term "clerkship" was replaced with "experience" for broader applicability.
• New learning objectives were incorporated, including those on cognitive bias, diagnostic errors, and health equity.

Main Results:

• The updated curriculum features a streamlined list of neurologic symptom complexes.
• Recommended clinical encounters and midrotation feedback mechanisms are included.
• New learning objectives address critical areas such as implicit bias and socioeconomic factors impacting care.

Conclusions:

• The revised curriculum provides a contemporary framework for neurology education in medical schools.
• It aims to equip all graduating physicians with foundational knowledge for neurologic patient care.
• The updated content supports curriculum leaders in achieving national accreditation standards.